Spain: Vodafone ‘Movistar abusing football rights’

Vodafone Spain has submitted a complaint to regulator CNMC against Movistar over alleged breaches of competition rules in its football pay-TV offers.

Vodafone has asked the CNMC to step-in and order Movistar to eliminate its promotion of free-of-charge football until 2019 arguing that it is an abuse of a dominant position to the detriment of competitors.

In addition, Vodafone has claimed that Movistar is directly calling customers offering them 50 per cent discounts for a 12 month period, and as this is not an ‘advertised campaign’ it is breaking competition rules.

Vodafone has been left with no football rights after refusing to pay the asking prices this season.